by Rita Herron
She’d marked the white board off into sections labeled “Persons of Interest”, “Motives”, “Evidence”, and “Questions”.
A picture of Penny’s parents went next. “So far, the parents’ story sticks. According to Deputy Landrum’s research into the couple’s financials and insurance policies, we can rule out ransom as a motive for kidnapping.
“Although last night I learned that Stan Matthews had an affair with a woman named Pauline Shore. His wife insisted it was a one-night fling and they were working through it. We’re trying to track down lover girl. So far no luck.”
“I’ll keep working on that,” Heath offered.
Ellie added Stan Matthews’ name as a suspect. On another line she wrote Pauline Shore. Beside them she scribbled Motives. Dad wanted out of the marriage, but saw daughter as an obstacle? Woman was pushing him to leave his wife?
Ellie tapped the board. “If Pauline wanted Stan to herself, she could have taken Penny to drive the couple apart.”
Rumblings of unease spread through the room. “Next, we have allegations of possible child abuse from George Zimmerman, Penny’s teacher. But no proof of abuse.”
Captain Hale cleared his throat. “I couldn’t access her medical records, but her pediatrician indicated that he didn’t suspect abuse.”
She noted that information on the board, then explained about the incident at the Dugan farm. “There were no signs of a child, but we’ll see what forensics turns up.”
“We found a torn piece of fabric that looked like a man’s jacket near Bald Hill,” Cord said. “I sent it to the lab.”
He tacked a map detailing the search grids onto the wall. “We’ve been in and out of every corner within ten miles. We searched heavy areas of brush, the ledges and overhang near the creek, and the AT shelter at Vulture’s Point,” Cord continued. “Footprints near Bald Hill disappeared into the creek.”
An image of the knife-edge ridges near Bald Hill taunted Ellie. The sharp dropout fell over eighty feet, with brush so thick that, if Penny had fallen into it, she might be buried in branches and dirt.
“How about the search dogs?” Ellie asked.
“They crossed over the creek and searched for miles, but no sign of Penny.”
She turned to Heath. “Any more on the background checks or financials?”
“Before Zimmerman came to Crooked Creek, he taught at a school in Helen, Georgia. Principal said he was conscientious, but maybe too attentive to the little girls. When he reprimanded him, Zimmerman turned in his notice.”
“Keep digging then and talk to the school counselor.”
“On it.”
“I hate to say this, but it looks more and more like this was a kidnapping, guys. That means Penny could still be in those woods or her abductor could have stashed a car somewhere off the trail, in which case there’s no telling how far away they’d be by now.”
Her father shifted. “I’ll talk to some of the Shadow People and see if any of them saw anything.”
Ellie avoided eye contact, simply nodding agreement. Over the years, her father had built up trust among the Shadows.
Captain Hale tapped his pen on the table. “AMBER alert was issued, and all port authorities, train and bus stations and airports are on alert. Penny’s picture is everywhere, including NCMEC.”
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children was a vital clearinghouse for information in missing children cases.
“What about that couple Susan saw?” she asked.
Randall shrugged. “Haven’t found them yet.”
Ellie looked back at the board, worry knotting her insides. If Penny had been abducted, was she still alive?
She clapped her hands. “All right. Let’s get back out there. It’s been almost twenty-four hours since Penny was last seen. We all know the stats—every hour a child is missing diminishes the chances of finding her alive. And this winter storm will be bearing down on us in a few hours. We have to find this child and bring her home before the wind chill drops and we’re covered in snow and ice.”
Captain Hale and the others dispersed. Everyone except for Cord, who hung back. “You okay, Ellie?” Concern colored his expression as he gestured toward her eye.
“Yeah. Just worried about Penny.”
He gently touched her arm, drawing her gaze to the scars on his thumbs. Scars she’d once asked him about. But he’d never explained. Just as he’d refused to let her into his workroom. Just as he refused to talk about his past.
But there were fresh scars, today. How had he gotten those?
Voices from the front of the station echoed in the hall, and she pulled her arm away.
“Look around in the ravine at Bald Hill. All that brush and the trees that were blown over in the tornado last year…”
“I know,” Cord said quietly. “Would be the perfect place to dispose of a body.”
21.
Before Ellie could leave the conference room, Stan Matthews stormed in. His clothes were filthy, his shirt torn, and dirt smeared his face. His knuckles were even more skinned than the day before, as if he’d dug through brush and bramble with his bare hands.
One look at the whiteboard and he exploded. “What the hell? You put my name up there as a suspect?” He pounced toward Ellie, waving his fist. “You think I hurt my baby?” He grabbed her arms and shook her. “I answered all your fucking questions, and I’ve been out hunting for Penny while you badgered my wife—”
Ellie lifted her hands to push him away, but before she had a chance, someone grabbed Matthews in a chokehold.
“Let the lady go.”
Penny’s father pulled his fist back, but the stranger threw him to his knees, handcuffing him. Angry that this guy had witnessed Matthews get the better of her, Ellie sucked in a breath.
Stan’s eyes shot back to the board and the image of his little girl, and Ellie pulled the screen down to cover it. Then she assessed the man who’d just invaded her conference room.
He was at least six-three, with short-clipped black hair, dark chocolate eyes and broad shoulders. And he wore a suit. Shit. A fed.
“Let me go, goddammit!” Stan barked.
“Shut up.” The fed kneed Matthews in the back until he howled, his body slumping in surrender.
Ellie planted her hands on her hips. “That was unnecessary. I had the situation under control.”
The fed’s eyes narrowed to slits as his gaze skated over her face. Her bruise made her look vulnerable, she realized. She couldn’t afford that. And the fact that he’d referred to her as “lady” instead of “detective” thoroughly pissed her off.
“Really?” he asked with an eyebrow raise.
“Let me go,” Penny’s father snarled.
The fed yanked Matthews up and shoved him into a chair. Then he leveled a look at Ellie. “Detective Reeves?”
He had the advantage. He knew who she was.
Then again, her interview with Angelica Gomez was all over the news. Just as the captain warned, if she failed, everyone would blame her. “Yes.” She crossed her arms. “And you are?”
“Special Agent Derrick Fox with the local field office in Atlanta. We need to talk.” He gestured toward Matthews. “What do we do with him?”
Ellie didn’t know whether to feel sorry for Stan or throw his ass in jail. If he was innocent, his wife needed him. If he was guilty, he deserved to rot in prison. Either way, if he’d hurt Penny, she needed him to confess, and she had to question him about Pauline Shore.
“I assume you’re here about our missing child case,” Ellie said to the fed. “This is Stan Matthews, Penny Matthews’ father.”
The agent went bone still, his expression vacillating between anger, suspicion, and sympathy.
“Mr. Matthews has been out searching for his daughter all night.” She gave Stan a sympathetic look. “You’re probably physically and emotionally exhausted, aren’t you, Stan?”
Penny’s father’s eyes filled with tears, and he mumbled a yes. �
��Take my name off that board,” he muttered, his voice weak. “I didn’t hurt my daughter. I told you that.”
Ellie adopted a calming tone. “Yes, but you didn’t mention your affair, Stan.”
Stan’s face blanched.
Ellie planted her fists on her hips. “Why did you lie to me about your marriage?”
His eyes shifted back and forth as he debated how to answer.
“Did you have an affair?” Ellie asked.
“It was just one stupid night,” he muttered. “I was upset, got drunk and hooked up with some woman at a bar. It meant nothing.”
“It meant something to your wife, I’m sure,” Ellie said bluntly.
Guilt flashed across his face. “I know, I know. But it only happened once, and she forgave me.”
“Really, Stan?”
His gaze shot to hers. “Yeah. We were having a rough time then. The money was gone, and she was busy with the kid and—”
Ellie saw red. “So, while she was busy raising your child, you, who were feeling so put upon, decided to have some fun, huh?”
“That’s not what I meant,” Stan snapped.
Ellie thumped her boot on the floor and waited.
“I felt bad, okay. I swore it wouldn’t happen again.” His voice quivered. “And it didn’t. I never saw the woman again.”
“No phone calls? Secret rendezvous?”
“No.” Anger hardened his voice.
“Are you sure she didn’t want more? Maybe she wanted you to leave your wife and be with her?”
“Hell, no,” Stan barked. “She probably screws a different guy every night.”
Ellie arched a brow. “So, if we look into your phone records and your computer, we won’t find any correspondence with her?”
“No. Now what does this have to do with finding my little girl?”
“Time is of the essence here, Stan,” Ellie said bluntly. “When you lie to me, it wastes my time. Is that what you want?”
“No…” His voice warbled. “I want you to find my daughter.”
“Then you can’t hold things back from me. Do you understand?”
Stan’s face crumpled, and he nodded.
“Maybe he needs to sit in lockup for a while to think about it,” Agent Fox suggested.
Ellie considered that option. “I think what Mr. Matthews needs to do is to go home, shower, eat something and get some rest.” She kept her expression cool. “Your wife needs you right now, Stan. Do you think you can pull it together if we let you go?”
Emotions played across the man’s face as he studied her. Finally, he murmured yes.
She gripped him by the collar before the agent uncuffed him. “If I find out you’re lying, or that you know where Penny is and didn’t tell me, I’ll throw the book at you. Do you get what I’m saying?”
He glared at her but gave a small nod.
“Uncuff him,” she told the agent.
His thick black brows furrowed. “Are you sure? He assaulted you.”
“He’s upset and terrified for his child,” Ellie said. “I can forgive that.”
Gratitude softened the anger in Stan’s expression.
The agent pulled a key from his pocket and unlocked the cuffs. “If it happens again, I’ll throw you in a cell myself.”
Stan lurched up shakily, then lumbered from the room.
Ellie turned to the agent and stared him down. “For the record, Special Agent Fox, I can take care of myself. This is my case, and no one is going to interfere.”
Fox squared his shoulders. “Actually, Detective Reeves, I have important information that may shed new light on the investigation.” A challenge lit his eyes. “Or are you too stubborn to accept help when it’s needed?”
22.
Ellie’s first instinct was to throw the agent out of the conference room. His arrogance pissed her off.
“Which is it, Detective?” he said. “Pride or the case?”
“We’re looking for a missing child,” she said, impatience edging her voice. “This is not a game or a rivalry between law enforcement agencies. And just because I’m a small-town detective and from the South, don’t make the mistake of thinking that I’m stupid.”
One brow shot up. “I would never do that.”
“That precious child has been out in the elements—lost, hurt, and in danger. So, if you have information, then cut the attitude and spill it.”
He studied her for a moment, tension building. A small smile tugged at his mouth, which irritated her even more, because it drew her attention to the fact that he was handsome.
She did not have time for handsome.
“Can we talk in private? I don’t want any interruptions.”
“Of course. Do you want coffee?”
“Thank you, that would be nice.”
He set his briefcase on the table and began to pull out files. Needing a minute to compose herself, Ellie left the room, poured two mugs of coffee and carried them back to the conference room. Closing the door, she set the coffee on the table and situated herself in the chair facing him.
“Did Captain Hale request your help?”
The agent shook his head. “I’m here because I saw your news broadcast.”
“And you have information about Penny?” she asked bluntly.
He let a beat pass. “Maybe,” he finally said. “Tell me what you’ve got first.”
Ellie stepped to the whiteboard, uncovering it and filling him in. He remained stiff-postured, silent, assessing. “Your turn now.”
The agent released a weary sigh. “If this isn’t an isolated case where the child wandered off and got lost, or if the parents aren’t involved, it’s possible it’s related to other cases I’ve been working on.”
Judging from the seriousness of his tone, Ellie sensed she wasn’t going to like what he had to say. “What are you talking about?”
He removed a picture of a blonde-haired child about Penny’s age. “This little girl’s name was Kim. She disappeared from the AT twenty-five years ago and was never found.”
“Twenty-five years ago. How could that case be related to Penny Matthews?”
From the file, he took out photographs of a dozen little girls around the same age and spread them on the table. Although the hair color varied and some were from single family homes versus two parent families, the story he told her about each child was similar. Her horror mounted with each account.
Families camping, hiking, picnicking, vacationing—someone turned their back or simply looked the other way, and then their daughter was just… gone.
“Oh, my god, are you saying what I think you’re saying?”
Special Agent Derrick Fox nodded grimly. “I think someone has been preying on little girls along the AT for over two decades.”
23.
Ellie scrutinized one photograph after another, nerves setting in.
If Special Agent Fox was correct, this case was a lot bigger than she’d imagined. The AT fell under federal jurisdiction, and utilized the National Park Services and local law enforcement from various towns in the fourteen states along the trail. That was a lot of gaps for information to slip through.
Still, denial shot through her. A serial killer was not hiding out in her mountains. No way. Her father would have picked up on it before now.
“I’ve lived in this area all of my life,” she said when she finally found her voice. “And my father has been sheriff for over twenty years. If there’s a serial killer stalking the trail, why is this the first I’m hearing about it?”
The agent’s jaw tightened. “For one, there’s no definitive pattern, no specific time of year or month that indicates a trigger for the abductions. Also, the timing is inconsistent. Sometimes the children went missing a few months apart. Other times, it was a year or more. And in two instances, the children weren’t reported missing for weeks because of parental issues and custody battles. At least three victims disappeared from foster homes, which also delayed reporting.”
/> Ellie rubbed her temple. Her head was starting to throb again. “Show me. Put the victims on the board in order of when they disappeared and from where.”
Special Agent Fox gathered the photographs and tacked them on a second whiteboard, jotting down the girls’ names, their hometowns, the date and place they were reported missing. He started with the most recent.
“Penny Matthews, age seven. Crooked Creek, Georgia.”
He added a question mark beside her name, before continuing.
“Millie Purcell, age six, Springer Mountain, Georgia.”
Springer Mountain was the beginning of the trail in Georgia and an hour from Ellijay, a popular destination. It was also the southern terminus of the AT, and a summit of 3782 feet. Hikers often went to the visitor’s center at Amnicola Falls, another tourist hotspot, and took the approach trail to begin their trek.
He continued pinning up the photos.
Sandy Baines, age five, Smoky Mountains, North Carolina.
Brenna Hart, age seven, Charlottesville, Virginia.
Dara Jackel, age six, Blue Ridge Parkway, Virginia.
Lois Clinton, age five, Gatlinburg, Tennessee.
Joy Lewis, age seven, Bristol, North Carolina.
Phyllis Elliot, age six, Pigeon Forge, North Carolina.
Ginger Williams, age five, Hot Springs, North Carolina.
Ansley Paulson, age six, Jasper, Georgia.
Casey Little, age, six, Dahlonega, Georgia.
With each name, Ellie’s anxiety spiked. The faces of the little girls were haunting in their innocent beauty.
Last, he added the little blonde-haired girl that resembled Penny Matthews. Twelve names.
“And this is Kim Fox, age five, Hiawassee, Georgia.” His voice cracked when he said the girl’s name. “She disappeared twenty-five years ago. I believe she was his first victim.”
The truth dawned in sickening clarity. This wasn’t just a case he’d caught wind of. It was personal. “Kim… she was related to you?” Ellie asked.
“Yes. She was my little sister.”